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Thursday, 3 October 2013

Flavors of Rajasthan- Gatte ki Sabzi

Rajasthan is known for its superb cuisine and has a long list of speciality dishes. One such is Gatte ki Sabzi or gram flour cakes in spicy gravy. It gives a good change of taste and variety to our regular lunch or dinner menu. There are a lot of variations to this recipe. Here, I have done a combination of different recipes and the end result is a superb dish with rich rajasthani flavors.

Ingredients

For the Gatta

1 cup besan (gram flour)

1 tsp garlic paste/grated

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp kasuri methi, lightly roasted and crushed

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp oil

Water to knead the dough

Oil for frying the gattas

For the Gravy

1 medium onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

1 tsp garlic paste/grated

2 tbsp whipped yogurt

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp kasuri methi lightly roasted and crushed

Coriander leaves for garnishing

2 green chillies chopped

Salt to taste

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp oil

Directions

In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the gatta except water. Knead a stiff dough, adding little water at a time. Make small balls and roll into a cylindrical shapes (similar to sausages). Add these rolls to boiling water and let it remain till they become light and start floating (about 5-7 minutes). Remove and let it cool. You might notice a few cracks appearing in the rolls while boiling. This happens because the dough was not stiff enough. However, there is nothing to worry. Once cool, you can shape it back gently with your hands. Now cut small pieces out of these rolls and fry them on high heat till golden brown. Remove on paper towel and keep aside.

In another pan, heat the oil and add cumin seeds. Let it splutter and then add the chopped onions. Fry till golden brown and then add the garlic paste and chopped green chillies. Stir for sometime. Tip in the dry spices, that is, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, coriander powder, and kasuri methi. Fry everything well. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and fry on low flame till they become soft. Add the whipped yogurt, salt and mix well. Pour half a cup of water and simmer and bring to a boil. Lastly, add the gattas and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or plain rice.